Thursday, September 19

Old school football: It will be a clash of two tough defenses on Sunday when the Steelers and Chargers meet.

The Steelers are ranked fifth in the NFL in total defense, while the Chargers are ranked second overall.

For defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, it will be a good measuring stick with the two defenses out there competing.

"I think there's a competitive side where one, we're playing their offense," said Heyward. "But two, we've got to play their defense, and our offense has got to play their defense as well.

"You relish the opportunity to see who has the better defense on Sunday. They're probably doing the same thing.

"We're looking for a good showing."

To successfully reach that good showing, the defense will have to once again shut down the run, something that has been a strong point early in the season.

It won't be easy this week.

The Chargers have the NFL's leading rusher in J.K. Dobbins and also have an equally talented Gus Edwards as their one-two punch.

"It's fun. It's old school football," said Heyward. "If you're worried about having your dime package ready this week, you picked the wrong week.

"We're going to have some big bodies on the on the field. It should be fun to get after it."

Heyward is pleased so far with the way the defense has defended the run in the early going, tied for fourth overall in the league in that category.

"I think we've had good assignment football, guys staying in their gaps," said Heyward. "Guys getting off blocks too has been really good for us. And then on the edges, you see our DBs tackling really well.

"This game presents similar challenges. J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, they've been getting after it.

"It's an 11-man job again. We have to make sure we rally to the ball, we get off blocks and we stop runs."

60-minute game: There is a common theme among Steelers defenders this week and for good reason.

To a man, they are all preaching the importance of stopping the run and are well aware it's not going to be an easy task with the NFL's leading rusher through two weeks, in J.K. Dobbins coming to town.

Dobbins has 27 carries for 266 yards and two touchdowns through two games, numbers that really stand out considering he has battled injuries the last three years that have kept him on the sideline more than on the field during that stint.

"To be honest with you, I'm happy for the guy because he's able to fight through injuries," said linebacker Elandon Roberts. "He's always been a dynamic back since he's got into the league. He just fought through a lot of injuries. I'm excited from that standpoint, just from a guy that had injuries before and that he's still getting the opportunity to display that he hasn't lost anything in his game. I'm happy that he's had a lot of success these last two weeks.

"But, obviously, we've got to play him this week. It's going to be a big challenge. It's going to be a 60-minute game. He's doing a great job running the ball. That offense is doing a great job of just being them and stuff like that.

"So, it's going to be a big challenge for us."

Roberts is expecting it to be a smashmouth game, in some way similar to what you see when you play the Ravens as the Chargers new offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, came to the Chargers from Baltimore this offseason.

"You see similarities," said Roberts. "It's going to be that type of game. But it's going to be fun. Why not have it in the home opener."

And Roberts thrives in games like this, where he knows physical is going to be the word of the day.

"I love it," said Roberts. "I love a physical, hard-nosed game. I'm going to hit you, you're going to hit me.

"We're going to be duking it out."

On their Ps and Qs: The Steelers depth chart got a little bit of tweaking this week, with rookie No. 1 pick Troy Fautanu sliding into the starting spot at right tackle over Broderick Jones, the team's No. 1 pick in 2023.

Against the Broncos, the plan was to rotate Fautanu, who had missed almost a month with a knee injury, and Jones at right tackle. After Jones was called for three penalties, the rotation stopped, and it was Fautanu for the remainder of the game.

"I had intentions of utilizing both guys," Tomlin said. "I acknowledged that Troy was healthy. I acknowledge that Troy was capable. That's why we started him. I rolled him because I had concerns about his level of conditioning. He's a young guy, new to me. He's new to the NFL. I didn't know how fatigue would affect his play in terms of detail. So, we tried to ward off some of that.

"I had every intention of using Broderick. When Broderick started getting highly penalized in play, I backed off it and I held my breath and played Troy."

While Fautanu was given the green light by Tomlin, he was still tough on his own play.

"There's always a lot of things to clean up," said Fautanu. "I felt like I made a lot of improvements in terms of technique stuff, and I feel like I constantly need to work on something. I'm just rewatching everything that went wrong and trying to make sure that I'm fixing that because I know our opponent is watching it too."

One area Fautanu pointed to that he wants to work on is finishing, something that has been stressed by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to everyone.

"It's always finishing. We're working on finishing," said Fautanu. "That's always Arthur's biggest message to us on the offensive line.

"You want to play with an attitude and with that is conditioning. Being out for weeks it took a little toll. I felt like I was pretty good in terms of conditioning and stuff like that. Just always working on it and trying to get better."

Tomlin acknowledged that he wants to give Jones an opportunity to rebound, whether that is at right tackle or left tackle, where he is also listed as the backup to Dan Moore Jr.

Whatever the case might be, it creates healthy competition on the line that does nothing but benefit them.

"We're always trying to raise the bar, the level of play in the room," said Fautanu. "Just making sure that I'm always on my P's and Q's and he's always on his. It's like me and him and Dan are just competing regardless of whether that's who's going to win this rep, who's going to win that rep. I just try to make sure that we're competing in that way, but also uplifting each other in times of adversity."

Know your enemy: Safety DeShaun Elliott has found this Sunday's opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers, to be a quick study.

"They're gonna run the ball," Elliott assessed. "They have two-seven (No. 27, running back J.K. Dobbins) back there running the ball. They have a good O-line who's getting push up front. At the end of the day it's gonna be about the front seven, shoot, the front eight, I guess.

"At the end of the day it's about who's gonna win in the tranches. Whoever wins in the trenches is gonna win this game."

The Chargers are the NFL's No. 2 rushing team through the first season's two weeks. Dobbins leads the league with 266 rushing yards on 27 attempts, a 9.9 average per carry. And the physicality with which the Chargers play is apparent on tape.

"I'm not worried about them challenging me physically," Elliott maintained. "I'm not worried about them challenging any of us physically. But they are a great football team, they have a lot of great athletes, a great coaching scheme.

"We go out there and play the way we know how to play, play disciplined, play smart and we'll be fine."

Elliott believes the Steelers are built for such challenges, and well prepared to meet them. They got that way in training camp at Saint Vincent College.

"Being at Latrobe, it gets you right for this type of game," he said. "We'll be alright."

-- Blog entry by Mike Prisuta

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Wednesday, September 16

Oh Mama: Linebacker Patrick Queen spent his first four season in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, which meant he was always on the opposite side when 'Renegade' would blare over the loudspeakers at Acrisure Stadium, firing up the crowd and getting the Terrible Towels waving.

While he said he didn't really pay attention to the song his first few seasons, keeping in mind one was during 2020 when stadiums were close to empty due to Covid, it wasn't until Ravens Coach John Harbaugh mentioned it in a team meeting that he took notice.

"The first two times I didn't notice it," said Queen. "And then Harbs (John Harbaugh) said something about it in the meeting. I just remember he was like, 'We will be in a close game. The towels will be waving. We will feel it. We're going to make it our own song.' So, I definitely didn't notice the first few years until he said something about it. But once you realize what they're doing, it's just an electric feeling. It's an electric place."
And now, he can't wait for Sunday to hear Renegade blaring while he and the defense are on the field for the home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.

"I'm ready to hear Renegade in the fourth quarter," said Queen. "That's what I've been waiting on.

"I just can't wait to get in front of fans and just play our hearts out, play as fast as we can. Give the fans the best game we can and get a win."

Getting the win is going to be a challenge against a Chargers team that has a 2-0 record like the Steelers.

And Queen knows, the defense has to step up big.

After two weeks the defense is ranked fifth in the AFC and NFL, but stats don't mean a lot to Queen.

"We don't seek complacency," said Queen. "We just got to go out there and keep doing what we've got to do, keep building, keep getting better day by day. That's something I've been saying. Every day we've got to come out here and grind and get better. Gel with each other even more because we know the games get tougher as they go."

A key factor for the defense is going to be stopping the run. Under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who Queen is familiar with as he spent three seasons with the Ravens, the Chargers ground game is ranked first in the AFC and second in the NFL.

"I faced (Roman's offense) for three years every day in practice," said Queen. "Smashmouth football. January-type football home. He's going to try to see if he can test your will. And that's what we've got to go out there and try to stop. So, it's going to be smashmouth football, it's going to be your man versus our man. I can't wait."

Leading the way for the ground game is J.K. Dobbins, the former Ravens running back who has 27 carries for 266 yards and two touchdowns through just two games. Dobbins, who has dealt with injuries the last three seasons, leads the NFL in rushing yardage and Queen knows what his former teammate can bring.

"I want to shut that down," said Queen. "He is the leading rusher right now. So being able to go out there and shut him down, give me bragging rights and help this team win.

"He got everything. He got vision, got the speed, he got the burst. He's just an all-around good back. He can do every single thing on the field. I think people might underestimate him this year, knowing that he had injuries and stuff. But he looks like his old self to me."

Getting after it: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert didn't practice on Wednesday while dealing with an ankle injury, but that doesn't mean the Steelers defense isn't preparing for him.

Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has already seen what Herbert is capable of in new offensive coordinator Greg Roman's offense and the focus is keeping Herbert contained this week.

"I feel like he is a great fit," said Porter. "He understands the offense pretty well. He's a great quarterback with the ball in his hand. We have to get after him and play some great defense."

Another aspect the defense has to focus on is the one-two punch of running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, who are both listed as starters and have the Chargers ground game ranked No. 2 in the NFL after two weeks.

Both players joined the Chargers this offseason after starting their careers with the Baltimore Ravens, so they are backs the defense is familiar with.

"I feel like it's pretty good," said Porter of their ground game. "They are two familiar backs that we've seen in the past, them being with Baltimore. We have to get after them. We know their tendencies. We know the weaknesses.

"It's football at the end of the day. We have to get after them."

Roman also came to the Chargers from the Ravens, but Porter said he sees more of a Michigan influence in the offense which comes from Coach Jim Harbaugh, who spent the last nine years as the school's head coach.

"It felt like Michigan when I was watching the tape and I'm kind of excited because of that, because of the old rivalry I had at Penn State," said Porter. "So, I'm just ready for all of it."

Happy to be back: Cornerback James Pierre was all smiles on Wednesday, happy to be back with the Steelers after he was signed to the practice squad the day before.

"It feels pretty good. Just ready to stick my hand in a pile, get back to work, back with the guys," said Pierre. "Just being in the National Football League, you got to always be ready and ready to go when they call your phone, be ready.

"I'm just ready to go. Ready to do anything for the organization. They take care of me; I take care of them.

"It means everything. The NFL is just precious. You've got to take your time, make plays and never take it for granted.

"In the NFL, every day you've got to come with it. You've never arrived. You have to come with it every day."

Pierre was originally signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft out of Florida Atlantic.

He played in 66 career games, with six starts in three seasons. He recorded 59 tackles, including 52 solo stops, eight passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble. He also had 35 special teams tackles with the Steelers.

Pierre signed with the Washington Commanders this past offseason, but was released before the start of the regular season.

Coming back home to Pittsburgh is perfect for him, especially since he got the call from the team on a special day.

"Everybody was excited, my mom, everybody," said Pierre. "On my birthday too, so it was kind of crazy. I was very excited just because the Steelers gave me everything in life. They gave me a life. First team to believe in me. They gave me a call, so I was like, they saw something in me, so I kept going. I came here and got to work."

Moore holding steady: While the Steelers have had Broderick Jones and then Troy Fautanu start a game each at right tackle in their first two games, Dan Moore Jr. has remained a constant on the left side of the line.

And Moore has played well. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Moore has been the 10th-best offensive tackle in the NFL over the first two weeks of the season.

The Steelers have selected Jones and Fautanu in the first round of the past two drafts, at least in part with the idea that those two will be their starting offensive tackles. But Moore's play has forced that to the back burner for now.
He's done that with plain, old-fashioned hard work.

"Dan has been solid. Dan has been Dan," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday of Moore. "Dan is never moved by what's going on around him. There's a maturity to his approach to business. Oftentimes it is reflected in the consistency of his play."

Moore admitted Wednesday that hasn't always been easy, but he hasn't wavered in his approach.

"I mean you try not to have doubt, you just control what you can control," Moore said. "Obviously there's things that you can't control in certain situations, so you focus on what you can get better every single day and hope the cards play out in your favor."

So far, so good for Moore.

But this week, he'll face a stiff test — perhaps his stiffest to date this season — in Chargers' outside linebacker Khalil Mack, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Moore has never faced Mack before, but has squared off against many of the NFL's best edge rushers in the past.

"He's a solid rusher," Moore said of the 33-year-old Mack, who had 17 sacks in 2023. "Obviously, he's farther into his career, but he still got juice, still got really good power and strength. So definitely something I'm gonna have to do with."

-- Blog entry by Dale Lolley

Roster updates: It was a busy day of roster moves for the Steelers, so the key here is to catch you up on anything you might have missed.

The team promoted tight end Rodney Williams to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.

Williams spent the majority of the last two seasons on the Steelers practice squad.

He was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft but released during the preseason.

Williams played college ball at Tennessee-Martin, where he played in 53 games, starting 26. He finished with 99 receptions for 1,217 yards and seven touchdowns, finishing his career ranked ninth in school history in receptions.

The team also signed receiver Jaray Jenkins and tight end Matt Sokol to the practice squad.

The team also placed receiver Ben Skowronek on the Reserve/Injured List.

Jenkins signed with the Steelers in June but was released before the start of the season.

He originally signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in the preseason, pulling in two receptions for 32 yards, but was released prior to the start of the regular season.

Jenkins played at LSU where he played in 43 games, starting 20, in four seasons. He finished with 89 receptions for 1,370 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Sokol was signed by the Steelers during training camp but released prior to the start of the regular season.

Sokol originally signed with the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2019 NFL Draft. He has spent time on the practice squads of the Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots. He also spent time on the Chargers active roster.

Sokol played college football at Michigan State where he appeared in 52 games. He had 31 receptions for 348 yards and two touchdowns.

Skowronek, who was elevated from the practice squad for the Falcons and Broncos games, was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the 249th overall pick.

He appeared in 45 games for the Rams, starting 12, while pulling in 58 receptions for 575 yards. He was traded to the Houston Texans this offseason.

Making the list: The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the list of Modern-Era Nominees for the Class of 2025, and the Steelers are well represented.

A total of 167 players are eligible, including eight Steelers who spent all or at least a portion of their career in black and gold. Those nominated include kicker Gary Anderson, linebacker James Farrior, nose tackle Casey Hampton, linebacker James Harrison, fullback John Kuhn, defensive back Allen Rossum, linebacker Mike Vrabel and receiver Hines Ward.

The list of Modern-Era nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November. A total of 20 Finalists will be presented to the full 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual meeting to choose the Class of 2025. Those candidates will consist of 15 Modern-Era Players Finalists, three Seniors Finalists, a Coach Finalist and a Contributor Finalist.

The Selection Committee will meet early next year (on a date to be determined) in advance of Super Bowl LVIX. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the selection process bylaws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.

Bringing you the action: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.

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